Fabric Grocery Bag Pattern

Use a fabric grocery bag pattern to make a reusable shopping bag. This is ideal for making a style statement as well as being kind to the environment.

Fabric bags are an alternative to plastic bags.

Fabric grocery bags are easy to make and are a great way to recycle fabric and clothes. A few basic sewing skills are all that are required to make long lasting reusable bags that will give many years of service. Many types of fabric can be used to make fabric grocery bags.

A fabric grocery bag pattern can be found in a local craft or sewing store as well as from a number of websites. Free patterns for grocery bags can be found from websites, including:

• Sewing.org – there are lots of patterns for bags here at this site run by the Sewing and Craft Alliance, including an eco-friendly tote bag project. This site also contains a lot of information and tutorials about sewing and other needlecrafts. Sewing.org is ideal for beginners who want to learn how to sew.
• Chica and Jo – a pattern for a grocery bag made from rip-stop nylon. This bag will fold up small and is perfect for carrying in a pocket or purse.
• Morsbags – this website offers much more than a simple fabric grocery bag pattern. There is also an animated 'how-to' guide, plus information about how to spread the message about using fabric shopping bags.
• Martha Stewart – recycle a t-shirt into a shopping bag. This will work best with a heavy-weight cotton t-shirt. Lighter weight or very stretchy t-shirts may need a fabric stabilizer.
• U-Handbag – instructions for a grocery bag plus lots of useful information and tutorials about different aspects of bag making.
• Tipnut – how to make a fabric shopping bag from an old pillowcase. A really funky shopping bag would be easy to make using a retro-styled pillowcase.

Many people like to use old and discarded clothes or home furnishings. Types of items that are perfect for recycling using a fabric grocery bag pattern include:

• Jeans – denim is very hard wearing. Jeans are ideal for recycling into a grocery bag, and a bag made from denim will last for many years. When sewing a bag from denim remember to use a strong sewing thread.
• Curtains and bedding – soft furnishings such as curtains and bedding give a large expanse of fabric to work with. Many fabric grocery bag patterns can be adapted to make bigger bags and large shopping bags can be a practical option for large family shopping trips.
• Cotton clothing – cotton is great for recycling into bags. Cotton is easy to dye and therefore custom fabrics are simple to create. Lightweight cotton is best used for smaller bags whereas heavy weight cotton can be used for many styles and sizes.
• Wool sweaters – knitted garments stretch, and as such are not practical for turning into shopping bags. When wool is felted, however, it becomes thick and sturdy and is unlikely to stretch out of shape. Felted woolen sweaters, cardigans and other garments are ideal for making into shopping bags.

Reusable grocery and shopping bags help to reduce the number of plastic bags that are used. Plastic bags present a significant threat to the environment. Not only are they an eyesore, they also cause the death of many animals, birds and fish. Plastic bags use up precious landfill space. Even biodegradeable plastic bags can take a long time to decompose. A fabric shopping bag is a good alternative to plastic bags, when made from recycled materials it helps to reduce waste as well as the amount of plastic in the environment.

Fabric bags are easy to make and they can be a great way to make a fashion statement as well as to help the environment.

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